Following the announcement of the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign, Malaysians have been gushing over the cuteness of the campaign’s mascots: 2 adorable sun bear characters named Wira and Manja.
But, there are real-life sun bears that require our attention!
The SABAH, Malaysian Borneo Facebook page recently shared an initiative by the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) that allows the general public to ‘adopt’ a sun bear to help ensure the survival of the species. And no, you cannot take your ‘adopted’ sun bear home with you no matter how cute they are!
They wrote, “In celebration of Visit Malaysia 2026, featuring the Bornean Sun Bear as its mascot, join the Adopt a Sun Bear program at the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre in Sepilok! Your support ensures their care, rehabilitation, and forest preservation.”
“Let’s protect these rainforest icons together and make sustainability a part of your journey.”
According to the BSBCC website, you can ‘adopt’ a sun bear for as low as RM300 and you can also opt for a package where you’ll receive a gift in the form of sun bear merchandise.
While we admire the cuteness of the Visit Malaysia 2026 mascots, let’s not forget to protect and care for the real-life animals they were modelled after.
What do you think about this? Do feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.
